


Down the Drain

by The_Plaid_Slytherin



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Gen, Kidfic, precanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-03-31
Packaged: 2018-01-17 17:57:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1397185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/pseuds/The_Plaid_Slytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While visiting Saul at work, Lee loses something.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Down the Drain

"Can I sit in the cockpit?" 

"Sure!" Saul said brightly. "And you can tell Dad and Zak all about it." 

Lee ran ahead of him, but Saul grabbed him by the collar of his scaled-down uniform jumpsuit. "Stay by me, now. Airfield's a dangerous place if you just go running around willy-nilly." 

Lee nodded, a serious expression on his face. He knew he was only being allowed to come to work with Saul because he'd been very good and he didn't want to get sent back to the base's daycare, with Zak and all the younger kids. Summer was a challenge, especially when one of them was in space, so Saul was just hoping to last the two weeks until Bill came back from his tour. Next week, they'd be going on vacation, and then day camp would start, so it was just for the one week that he'd have to come to work with Saul, and since all Saul was doing today was maintenance and training, Lee could tag along. 

"I want to see you fly," Lee said.

"Maybe when Daddy comes home. Somebody's got to stay on the ground with you."

"I could go up with you!" He looked hopeful.

Saul ruffled his hair. "Nope. Maybe if you're good this week, I can take you in a flight sim." 

Lee's eyes widened. "Awesome!" For a moment, it looked like he was going to bolt ahead, but he held Saul's hand obediently as they entered the hangar. 

Lee read off pilot names and call signs until they got to "Captain Saul Tigh, Jinx. This is your Viper!" 

"Yup. Sure is." Saul set his toolbox down. "Just got to replace the gimbal." Saul got what he needed, flopped down on the roller and slid under the plane.

"Can I come under there?" 

"Not much room, buddy." Saul unscrewed the panel. "But you know what? You can do something important… Here." Saul pulled off his wedding ring and dropped it into Lee's outstretched hand. "Take care of that, okay? I don't want to get grease on it." 

"Yes, sir," said Lee importantly. 

Saul went to work and was almost finished when he heard the ding of a small piece of metal on concrete and a little voice say, "Oops." 

Saul dragged himself out from under the Viper just in time to see something gold rolling toward the door of the hangar. "Shit," he muttered and took off running. "Make a hole!"

He shoved his way out of the hangar and tore across the airfield. How could a little ring go so fast? 

Frak. It was approaching the drain. Saul hurled himself at it, as it spun around the rim of the drain, like a golf ball deciding whether or not it wanted to go in the hole. 

"What the frak? Get that kid out of there!" Saul spun. Lee was running after him, sobbing, heedless of his surroundings, like the big old Viper that was coming in for a landing. 

Saul didn't know he could move so fast as he shoved himself to his feet, sprinted the yards separating them, scooped up Lee and staggered back, just as the bird touched down. 

Saul sat down hard, dropping Lee into his lap, and hugged him tight. For a moment, they didn't say anything, and Saul realized he was crying, too.

Damn. This time last year he hadn't even _wanted_ kids. 

"I'm sorry," Lee finally managed. "Saul, I'm really sorry."

"Shh, shh." Saul stroked his hair. "Only thing that matters is you. What did I tell you about running around?"

"I know, but you were mad." 

"Oh, Lee, I wasn't mad. I just wanted to catch it before it went in the hole." 

"Did it go in the hole?" 

Saul craned his neck. It wasn't on the ground next to the drain, so he supposed it had. "Yup. It went in the hole."

Lee cried harder. 

"Don't worry about it," Saul soothed. "I'm not mad. I'll talk to Daddy. He'll understand. We'll get another one, someday."

Lee's eyebrows knit. "Are they that hard to get?" 

"Just expensive. And since it hasn't been a year since we got the first one… we might have to wait a while."

Lee nodded. The tears were slowing down now. "Okay. Are you done with the gimbal?" 

"Yeah, I'm done with the gimbal." They stood up, Lee's hand firmly clutching Saul's. "Let's have lunch."

"Okay." They set off toward the mess hall.

Once they'd gotten their food and sat down, Lee asked, "Hey, do you want your ring back?" 

Saul opened his mouth to ask what Lee was talking about when Lee opened his fist. There it was, lying in Lee's palm. Saul grabbed it and put it back on, safe and secure on his finger. "You had it this whole time?"

Lee nodded, looking confused. 

"Then what went down the hole?" 

"My five cubit piece!" Lee looked distraught. "Uncle Sam gave me five cubits to buy something on vacation." His lower lip trembled. 

"Hang on. Hang on." Saul dug in the pockets of his fatigues. "Here." He dropped a ten-cubit piece into Lee's hand. "There you go. Better than before." 

Lee flashed him a gap-toothed smile. "Thanks. I thought you were mad."

Saul ruffled his hair. "No, Lee, never."


End file.
